The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-05
TOUCHING SOME ORTHODOX INFER
ENOES.

ished and noble faith are yet continually
made. Bigotry and elf-righteousness
give it the cold shoulder. Evangelists
say it is in alliance with the powers of
darkness. 1t is said to be anti mission
airy. Its votaries have no nerve for
missions, and one might go on multi
plying the charges made against it..
In many minds an invidious distinc-
| ton is made. Christian churches in
vidiously point to the adjective Liberal
applied to it, having almost given a
new meaning to the adjective. 1t is
unfortunate that Christianity should
call for such distinction, and give the
world to suppose that Liberal. Christ
ianity means destruction, and not con-
servation, of the good. Liberality is
not destruction. Liberal means en-
larged in spirit, Catholic, conservation
not destruction; reproduction of the
divine image, which, since the days of
Christ and early Christianity, had very
nigh been buried in the rubbish of Pa
gan ideas, which "a corrupt church in
alliance with the kingdoms of this
world had heaped around it. Liberal
Christians are devoutly working to re-
store to the world such an image of the
divine character as will bear the scru-
tiny of the most discriminating eye.
And it is shame, and at some time
and for the good of the world let us
hope soon-it will be the severest con-
demnation the popular churches will
have to bear, that they so persistentIy
hindered in the good and laudable work.
There isnoquestion but that advanced
thought respecting God, man and his
destiny, has Weakened into activity at the
present time resolute opposition. There,
too, can be no question but that the
opposing spirits are aware that the ad-
vanced thought h0neycombs orthodox
churches. The Andover heresy, the
prevalence of the doctrine of conditional
immortality in Baptist and other church.
es, and of Uniyersalism that believes
all souls are Gods, and that he will
kindly take care of his own, they think
must be met and denounced. Just
lately Rev. Nj. Goss, pastor Of Moo
dy's church, is reported as saying, that
God'sresources to save can be exhausted
by ''some mems persistence in sin, and
nothing remains but eternal punish
ment." This is, or seems to be, re-
production from Joseph Cook, who in
his verbal redundancy termed it crys-
Utilization OF character in sin, and his
admirers from many pulpit re-echoed
the idea. And only short time ago
prominent divine let fly from his lips
the chilling words: 1.-THE church has
no time to spend on dead pagans."
When poor, weak, ignorant humanity
is treated with a gospel according to
such teachers, it is no wonder that Mr..
Moody should say TO the crowds that
flock to hear him 1.-THE reason why so
many young people are driven from
heaven, is because we misrepresent
Christ" This is what Universalism has
said thousand times, and when this
Misrepresentation ceases, it will have
done its greatest work.
Nothing so deeply wounds good
man as to suppose him capable of cru
city or injustice, or to say that of him
from which can be inferred line of ac-
ton the opposite of goodness. In read
ing the book of Job we are forcibly
struck with the fact that God cares for
differences. Jobs three professional
friends were loud in their laudation of
God, and were it not for part of one
verse, they would probably by orthodox
theologians have been estimated as
saints. 1t was their one-sided theology,
their false philosophy of Gods dealings
with man, and their heartless judgment
from external appearances and fragrant
defamation Of the character of job,
that constituted their sin. eye have not
spoken of me the thing that is right as
my servant Job has," are the words of
God. Notwithstanding their vocife-
rOus laudation of God, they said that
from which might be inferred he was
unjust, if not cruel to man. And did
not God in effect say, Job may have no
rights which you are bound to respect,
but you must understand that have
respect to the rights of man. The Sc
quel proves this: $50 to my servant JOB,
take seven bullocks and seven rams,
offer up for yourselves burnt offering;
and my servant Job shall pray for you
for him will 1 accept lest deal with
you after your folly, in thatye have not
spoken Of me the thing which is right"
How hard it is for theologians to learn
that that is the right view of God from
which no finiteness, weakness, lack of
goodness or malignancy can possibly be
inferred in the final adjustment of
things? This talk before hundreds that
Gods resources of power and mercy can
be exhausted, viii have to be met. "By
thy words thou shalt be justified, and
by thy words thou shalt be condemned"
ThOughtless volubility from the pulpit
parrias with IL orrava conaanuanaeS